Viewer Feedback
The following section describes the complaint process under the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice. If you wish to download a viewer feedback form, please click here.
The Code regulates program content on commercial free-to-air television, including:
• program classification;
• accuracy, fairness and respect for privacy in news and current affairs;
• non-program time on television; and
• placement of commercials and program promotions.
The ABC, SBS and Pay TV are covered by their own Codes of Practice. Any feedback concerning programming or advertising on the ABC, SBS or a Pay TV channel should be referred to the relevant station.
Stations value audience feedback as an important way of keeping in touch with community opinion. If your feedback concerns a particular program you should contact the relevant station. Click here for contact details for each of the commercial free-to-air television stations.
The Code of Practice sets out a formal complaints process for matters covered by the Code of Practice. If you believe a station has acted contrary to the Code of Practice you should contact the station concerned. If you wish the station to reply formally you should follow the two step guide below. If you would like more information about the complaints process see Section 7 of the Code of Practice.
STEP 1 - Putting your complaint in writing
You can either:
| a) |
Write a letter (and send via post or fax) to the relevant station or |
| b) |
Print and complete a viewer feedback form. It is important that you post or fax your complaint to the relevant station as soon as possible (step 2 explains who you should write to). |
Stations will provide a substantive written response to a written complaint about matters covered by the Code where the complaint is received within 30 days of broadcast.
Stations appreciate that, for many people, telephone or email is the preferred way of expressing a view about programming. Due to resource considerations and limitations on the availability of programming staff, stations cannot, unfortunately, provide a written response to telephone calls or email comments. However, comments received by telephone that concern a matter covered by the Code of Practice will be noted and brought to the attention of relevant staff.
To trigger the formal complaints procedures for alleged breaches of the Code of Practice your complaint must be received by post or fax within 30 days of broadcast.
What information should your complaint include?
Your complaint should include the following information:
• Your name, address and telephone number
• Name of program or advertiser/product
• The station on which you saw or heard the program/advertisement
• The date and time you saw or heard it
• Reasons for your concerns
STEP 2 - Where to send your complaint
Please refer to the table below and post or fax your complaint to the appropriate body.
| What is your complaint about? |
Who to send your complaint to |
| Program or Promotion |
|
Content of a program or promotion eg sex, nudity, violence,
coarse language
Content of news & current affairs eg accuracy, fairness,
invasion of privacy, objections to presenters/personalities etc
Content in general eg: repeats, amount of sport or other
program types, general scheduling complaints or other
comments/enquiries in relation to a program |
The Television Station
The Television Station
The Television Station |
Commercials |
|
The number of commercials in a program
|
The Television Station |
The placement of a commercial (what time and in what
program the commercial was shown)
|
The Television Station |
The content of commercials eg discriminatory portrayal of
people, concern for children, use of language, portrayal
of violence, portrayal of sex, sexuality and nudity and
health and safety |
Advertising Standards Bureau |
What if you are not sure who to write to?
If you write to Free TV Australia about something that should have been directed to a television station or the Advertising Standards Bureau, we will forward your letter to the correct organisation.
When should you expect to receive a reply?
The Code requires a station to respond to you within 30 working days of receiving a written complaint about a matter covered by the Code of Practice.
What can you do if you don’t receive a reply or you do not consider the reply to be adequate?
If the station has not written back to you within 60 days or you do not consider the response to be adequate, you may send your complaint to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The ACMA will need a copy of your original complaint to the station, as well as a copy of the station’s reply.
Documents for download
Viewer Feedback Form
To make a complaint about a matter covered by the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice, simply print and complete this form, and then send by fax or post to the relevant station.
Related document
Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice - 2 July 2004 (amended 24 November 2008)
The content of free-to-air commercial television, is regulated under the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice which has been developed by Free TV Australia and registered with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
Related PDF document
Loudness in Advertisements
Broadcasters are aware that community concern exists in relation to the perceived loudness of advertisements compared with adjacent programs. For more information click here or for a copy of the relevant Operational Practice (OP 48) refer below.
Related PDF document